The Russian diplomat reminded that the U.S. and France assumed the role of mediators in early 1997, however Russia was a co-chair state earlier and acted as an independent mediator. "Chairs and Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group used to change. A scope of settlement principles was worked out long ago. The activities of the mediators base on the maintenance of ceasefire achieved in 1994 with Russia's mediation," he said.

Vladimir Kazimirov is convinced that the settlement should not be started with the liberation of the seized territories. "The Co-chairs mention the stability and guarantees of the peaceful process in passing. Refusal of all the parties in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict from any attempt to use force should become the prior principle of settlement. It needs international authentication, to all appearance by the U.N. Security Council," the article says.

In the opinion of the OSCE MG former Co-chair it's mostly Azerbaijan who jeopardizes the peaceful process at the background of failures in the war. "It's obvious. Militaristic statements, calls to armament race and revenge, stirring up of hatred towards Armenians prove this. It should also be noted that Baku rejected the mediator's proposal very often. Azerbaijan's positions and arguments should be thoroughly examined. Baku should be discouraged from the wish to settle the matter by force and blood," Vladimir Kazimirov said.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/